Incandescent-lamp socket.



R.B. BENJAMIN.

INGANDESGENT LAMP SOCKET. APLmATloN FILED HABA, 1907..

97 4,946 Patented N ov. 8. 19.10.

UNITED OFFICE.

REUBEN B.BENJAMIN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

INCANDESCENTLAMP SOCKET.

Application filed March 4,

T o all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, RnUnnN B. BENJA- MiN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ot' (look and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in4 Incandescent-Lamp Sockets, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactI description, reference heing had to the accompanying drawing, forming a. part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in incandescent-lamp sockets and particularly to a type of Vsuch sockets wherein a lan1preceiving device is provided with a plug adapted to be inserted into an ordinary lamp or plug holder, said plug having arranged thereon contacts adapted to cooper ate with the contacts of the holder into I which it is inserted, these contacts being electrically connected With other contacts adapt-ed to engage the terminals of the lamp carried by the device.

As is Well known, the light radiated from an incandescent electric lamp not. evenly distributed, more light being projected in a direction .transverse the longitudinal axis` ol the lamp than in a direction parallel to the axis thereof. Consequently, it frequent-ly becomes desirable, in order to get the most light possible, to place the'lamp in such a position that its axis is disposed at an angle to the axis of the socket which is designed to receive the lamp, especially where `such socket is rigidly secured 'to the ceiling or Wall, or to an arm of an electrolier.

The object of the present invention is the provision-'of an improved, simplified and eiiicient device that is adapted to receive an incandescent lamp and to be. inserted into an ordinary lamp-receiving receptacle.v` said device being so constructed as to permit the lamp to be swung to any desired position radially about the axis of the receptacle into Which the device is inserted. To this end, l provide a. plug adapted to he inserted Iinto the fixed socket so as to constitute an exten sion thereof, and arrange upon. said plug a socket having its axis in a plane at an angle with the axis Vof the plu'. By the use of' a device of this kind, the lamp may loe caused to assume a horizontal posit-ion, so as tol throw a maximum amount of light downward, whether the fixed socket be arranged with its axis horizontal or vertical, or at any angle bet-Ween these two positions.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

1907'. Serial No. 360,560.

vide a plug, adapted to be inserted into a lamp receptacle, with a lamp-holding socket extending' at. a right angle to the axis of the plug, this socket having a svviveling connection with the plug so that vafter said plug 'has been screwed int-o its receiving socket,

Iflercto'ore, it has been proposed to prothe lan'ip-carryin'g socket on said plug and the lamp carried thereby may be swung radially around the longitudinal axis of the plug. Such a device has inherent defects which l propose to overcome hy the provi'- sion of simpler and cheaper, and yet etlicient means. .Instead otrotataloly connecting the socket with the plug portion of the device, I secure the. socket rigidly to the side of this plug portion with its axis at substantially a. right angle with the aXis of the plug, and protide on said plug a form of contacts which are adapted to maintain electrical connect-ion with the corresponding contacts el: the receptacle into which it is inserted after the plug has been screwed intoysaid receptacle as tar as possible and then given a quarter turn or half turn, or even a Whole turn hai'fkivard. By this means, the posit-ion oi the lamp may he varied hy the simple exv pedient ot` turning the plug in the fixed rece'ptarl i as much as is required to swing the lamp into the desired position, it being possible, h v reason of this 'feature of my invention. to do so .without causing the contacts on the plug to lose their connection with the contacts of the receptacle.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational side View of a. device ernhodying the features olf; my invention; Fig. a central vertical section of the same; Fig. 3 shows a section of the device,.the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Figs. l and 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; Fig. Il 'is afront` elevational vien' ot vthe device, looking into the lam reeeiving socket; and Fig. 5 shows, 'part y in section and partly in elevation, a modifie form of the device. 1

, In the several figures ofV the drawings, in which. like 'reference' numerals indicate the' saine parts throughout, 5 is a beschaving one of its. ends formed toconstitute the plu 6 and its opposite end flattened and widerie to constitute a support 7 for' the lamp socket and the contacts for the same. f The portion 7 ot' the. base 5 is provided with ano ening' or slot 8, extending therethrough, an upon the outer end of the plug portion 6 is formed extends longitudinally, through the plug.

Upon the lower end of'this bolt 11 is an L- shaped plate 12 having one of its legs inserted into the opening .8' and its other leg extending parallel with the'tace of the base l7 and adapted to form the center contact of "a lamp-receiving socket, the bolt 11 serving.

to secure the plates 10 and 12 in place and to provide electrical connection therebetween. The plug 6 is provided with an outer; contact member 13 preferably in the form of'l a corrugated or threaded l shell sleeved onto the'plug 6, this shell having an inturned shoulder 13a upon its outer'end. The base 5 is formed with a pair of openings 14, 14 extending longitudinally therethrough. Bolts 15, 15 extend through the openings 14, 14, the heads or' these bolts engaging the inturned end of the sleeve 13'and securing this sleeve 13 in place o n the plug 6.

' A plate 16 extends across the inner end of the base 7 and is provided with threaded openings into which are screwed the ends of the bolts 15, 15, ,these bolts thus serving to securethe plate 16i1 place and providing electrical connection between the same and the contact sleeve 13. An L-shaped plate 17 is clamped between the plate 16 and the end of the base 7 lwhen the belts 15, l'are tight.- ened. The end of the base 7 is provided with a depression 18. The plate 16 has a projection 19 punched up midway between its ends, the plate 17 being vprovided with an opening 20 into which the projection 19 fits, the late 17 bein'gthusprevented from becoming loosened and dislodged from its posit onet connection.

tion.

'Dhe lampholding shell 21 is secured to the face of the base 7 byfmeans of screws '22, 22. The inner end of this .shell engages the end ofl the plate 17 and makes electrical connection therewith, thisv plate 17 and the inner end of th'e socket-21' being secured together by a rivet, or by soldering, or otherwise. An insulating sleeve 23,01: vulcanized fiber or like material, is sleeved on over the socket 21. 'Y Outside ofthe socket and insulating sleeve is a' shell 24 forming part of the housing of the device. A cover 25 is adapted to be telescoped onto the sleeve 24, and, when in position, to form with the sleeve' 24 a complete casing for the parts of the device. To retain the parts 24 and 25 together and to'secur'e lthem to the base, these part-s are provided with a form of baytion 27 on the sleeve 24 is adapted to fit into this depression and to prevent` the portions An L-shaped depressiony 26 is formed in the cover 25 and a projec of the casing from becoming separated after being telescoped together.

. In the form of the device shown in Fig. 5, the plate 12, which constitutes the center contact for the lamp, is extended rearwardly through the opening S and has an end 26 which is bent downwardly and provided with a binding screw 27. The plate 16, which is connected through the bolts 15, 15 with the outer contact member 13, is also provided with a binding screw 28. These "binding screws 27 and 2S provide means 'for receiving and holding the ends of suitable flexible conductors which are brought in through an insulating bushing 29 which is inserted into a suitable opening provided in the back of the cover 25. These conductors ,may lead to a portable lamp, tanvnotor, or thelikef In the-use of the devicehcrein shown and described,-the plug of the device will be inserted into the receptacle in connection with which ,it is to be used and will first be screwedin as iar as possible, thus compressing the'spring-contact 10 on the plug. To adjust the lamp carried by the device to thel desired positiomthe device wi ll -then be turned back or unscrewed as liar as is necessary to e'tl`ect'thisA result. Obviously this will not cause the contacts on the plug to lose their connection with the contacts of the receptacle into which the` device is inserted, unless the device is screwed out-ward to the point where the resiliency of the spring contact is exhausted., As this will not occur .until the plug has been given at least a whole turn backward, ample adjustment is provided for.

Having' thus described iny invention, what I elaiin'as new and desire vto secure by Letters Patent is': v

1. JThe combination ot a base nlelnber having a flattened portion 'and a plug portion formed integral therewith, a center Contact member onsaid plug portion, an outer contact member on said plug portion, a two-part housing in-closing the flattened/ portion of said base member, the parts of said housing being detachably secured together and one ofthe parts being provided with :1n-opening for thetreception'of a lalnp and the other part being provided with an opening e for the admission of tapping conductors to.

the base, a lamp-holding device carried by the attened portion of said base member and adapted to register with the opening of said housing, a -lamp terminal engaging` member associated With said lamp-holding.

said lamp terminal engaging member respectively. l ,2, A plug lump socket comprising an insulatinn' hasn l'ornuedwith a plug portion at one end and haring' t\\'o longitudinal screw holes therein. a neuter rontaotl rarriod by said plug' portion, a threaded outer ront'art rarriod hy said plug' portion, said outer rontai'thaving' a (lange extending in\\'ardl.\ over the end ot' said plug' portion, a threadrd lamp-terminal engaging Contact rarried hy tlu` other end of said hase and oxteniliingr lati-rally therefrom. a screw contained in our of said screw holes and hearing with its head againstthtl [lange of said outer contant t`or ronnootingl said outer eontart and said threaded lainp-ti'rniiinil engaging rontart t1ogather. a cantor lmnp-terminal engaging' ('ontact carried by said base, and a srrew 0xtendinar lwtn'ei-u said last4 mentioned vonlaet and the conter Contact' of said plug' portion through said screw holt'` said .s1-ren foi 'ning elertriral ronnet'tion between .said oontarts.

Il. plug: lanip sot'kety comprising' an insulatinjnr hase lornud with a plug.; portion at one ond, a center and an outer roulant carried h y said plug' portion for engaging the rorrrspondingg ro'ntaets dt' a sorlfet. a threaded lanip-ler|ninal engaging' f'ol'itaot married tu' llao other und ot' said hase and extending; laterally thri'ol'roiu` said threaded rontart lining' elertrirally rounot-ttd with one ol the rontarts of .said pl11;'po1't1o11.a renter la1up^tvrn1i1nd engaging Contact carried lily said hase and roinax'trd with the other eonl tact of said plug portion, binding terminals rarried by .said hase and connected with said threaded laznp receiving Contact and said center lanip terminal engaging oontaeb resp1-rti\'el y, and a two-part housing Surrounding said lanii'rterniinal engaging Contacts, the parts ol' said housing being separable, and one ot' said parte being formed with an opening' tor .enabling tapping conductors to he eonneeted to lsaid binding terminals.

l. The combination off an elongated base haring' one of its ends formed as a plug, rontacts ou :said plug, a lamp-holding devire carried by said base, with its axis disposed at an angle with the axis of the plug; oontacts assooiattal with said lamp-holding devine and olertrieally connected with the contacts of the plug, binding:r terminals connotati-d with said last named contacts, and a ila-sing" t'or said device, said casing comprising' a shell and a cover adapted to be detat-lnilsly ronnooted to said Shell and formed with an opening t'or thev passage of tapping conductors to he secured to'said binding terminals.

lu witness wherm'if.v l have hereunto .subsrrilird my nainn in tlupresence of bvo witiHh'US.

REUBIC-N l. BENJAMIN.

fitnesses 2 M. L. Fanatic, C. L. Homin-vs.

Corrections in Letters Patent No. 974,946.

It is hereby eertilied that in Letters Patent No. 974,'.94fy granted November 8,

1910, upon the nppleablen of Reuben B. Benjamin, 0f\Cheago, Illinois, for anv improvement. in lncnnd(meent-Lamp Sockets, erl'ie appear in the printed Specification requiring correction :w fellows: Page L, line H8, the word lose `shnnld rentl Mme.' und page 2, line 6, the wurd logs should rend lef/x; 1nd thm,

the Suid Lytton lntenlJ .should be rentl with these comectinns therein that the sume may cnnfm'm tu the record 0f the man in the -lutent (Kline.

Slgnml mtl vnlntl this 17th day et' January, A. D., 1,911. [Senn] C. llLlJlNGS, 

